I Love to Read month inspires and builds

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/02/2026 (210 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This February is I Love to Read month, and I’m excited to visit classrooms and early-learning centres across our neighborhood to read with students and hear what young readers are eager to explore next. It’s a time to celebrate the power of books and to strengthen the confidence young people build as they discover new stories and ideas.

As a former teacher, I’ve seen first-hand what those moments can do. When an adult reads with a child, confidence builds, language skills deepen, and imagination opens wide. That belief guides these visits each year, and it’s rooted in my own experience. As a child, I found comfort and courage in books, and those long hours of reading shaped how I learned and how I lead today.

The month started strong at SPLASH Child Care & Enrichment Centre, where we read Métis Like Me, a story about a child learning who they are through their family, culture, and daily life. The book helps young readers recognize themselves in stories and understand that their identities are valued. Early literacy opportunities like this build curiosity, and that curiosity supports learning through the first years of school.

We will continue the month in elementary schools – Machray, Norquay, and Victoria Albert – where some students are sounding out their first chapters while others race ahead. Yet across every classroom, the message of reading is the same – your voice matters, and reading helps it grow.

From there, I’ll visit middle-years classrooms at William Whyte, Gonzaga, Holy Ghost, Niji Mahkwa, and Isaac Newton. At this age, students begin to encounter stories that challenge their assumptions, stretch their thinking, and sometimes surprise them entirely. I hope they come to see reading as a doorway into new perspectives and experiences beyond their own.

Reading is one of the most powerful tools we can offer a child. It opens doors that once felt closed and invites students into wider worlds they can return from with confidence. That perspective comes from years in classrooms and from a lifelong love of books – habits renewed with every visit, and every page turned together.

To the educators creating cozy reading spaces – thank you. To the students discovering new favourites or reading aloud for the first time – well done. And to every caregiver who asks, “What did you read today?” – just know that you’re helping build a habit that lasts a lifetime.

Happy I Love to Read month, Point Douglas. The momentum we build this month reflects a shared commitment to passing on a love of books and the insight they offer to the next generation. The stories we share will carry us far. And as always, please feel free to reach out to my constituency office at bernadette.smith@yourmanitoba.ca or call 204-414-1477.